‘Star Trek’ takes off tonight

That’s what Trekkers will do — big time — hours from now, when “Star Trek Into Darkness” hits theaters everywhere. It all starts at 8 p.m. at a handful of locations hosting special fan sneaks, and expands at midnight, when pretty much every San Antonio multiplex will have it on multiple screens.

The Santikos Palladium and Rivercenter IMAX theaters will screen the special IMAX version at 8 p.m. That version has 30 minutes of footage shot on IMAX cameras. Regal Cinemas’ Cielo Vista and Huebner Oaks theaters will have 3-D fan sneaks at 9 in their RPX auditoriums.

And, of course, a bunch of theaters are pairing “Into Darkness” and “Star Trek” (2009) and billing it as a double feature. Too bad no one is offering the ultimate “Star Trek” marathon — the 2009 reboot plus all 10 “Trek” films starting with the 1979 big-screen debut. Of course, that probably would have had to start LAST night to get them all in.

At least the Alamo Drafthouse Park North is offering a twist. While the other two locations (Westlakes and Stone Oak) are offering the obligatory double feature, Park North has scheduled the 1984 video-game/kiddie adventure “The Last Starfighter” as the opening act for “Into Darkness.” “Starfighter” has a very young Wil Wheaton in a supporting role.

And for folks wanting the ultimate ying-yang double feature, the Cinemark McCreless theater is screening The Metropolitan Opera’s production of “Guilio Cesare” at 6:30. The Met’s production of Handel’s opera lasts a staggering four hours and 35 minutes, meaning it’ll wrap around 11. That’s enough time to hit the concession stand, cleanse the palate (physically and mentally) and get in line for a midnight screening of “Into Darkness.”